


Anicca (Impermanence)

by Ghostlyronin



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Bullshitting shit about omnics, Dismemberment, Genji is freaking out, How Jesse Lost his Arm, I mean, Injury, Jesse has terrible timing, M/M, Nepal, The Shambali, Violence, arm theory, before the crises, serious injury, so obviously blood, some had to have escaped, the arm conspiracy, there had to be Medic oriented omnics, to help people out in hospitals and shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 07:12:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8392138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostlyronin/pseuds/Ghostlyronin
Summary: The day Jesse McCree lost his arm, Genji wasn't expecting it.
To be fair, an almost-flame from the past randomly turning up in a small village hidden in Nepal was a very remote possibility to begin with.





	1. Chapter 1

Nepal was peaceful. Not just in looks, but in a way that hummed through Genji’s body; giving him a peace he had almost forgotten himself capable of. He could almost bring himself to forgive Hanzo, but wasn’t quite there yet, and as such after each session he liked to go for walks through the nearby village to ground himself.

Typically, the children weaving through the legs of the adults who were trying to shop and avoid tripping at the same time were enough to bring him fully into the present, but at the moment, the tiny, nameless village stood mostly empty. All of it’s residents had gone to ground, hiding from whatever-or whoever-was firing at each other and…setting off flashbangs?

“… _Jesse_?”

And Genji was off, darting towards the commotion to find out if his best friend really was in Nepal, and why he was terrorizing a small village.

He had almost made it to the street where the fighting was currently taking place when a deafening explosion took out two of the poorly made buildings and threw the cyborg to the ground. 

Head ringing, Genji laid there in shock for what seemed like an impossibly long amount of time, but in reality could have only been seconds, before attempting to sit up and look around. Jesse couldn’t have been caught in that explosion, if it was even the cowboy at all. If it was indeed McCree he would have dodged or pulled some last minute stunt to avoid the brunt of the impact, he would be fine, he would be perfectly okay, he would…

He would.....

Genji stared in horror at the arm-still holding Peacekeeper-that was laying across from him, currently unattached to a body. The air surrounding the arm was perforated by a soft red mist, almost serene for how much it made the cyborg want to throw up from sudden, all-consuming fear.

But there was no time for the luxury of wallowing in hesitation brought about by denial.

He heaved his body up and made a mad scramble for the epicenter of the explosion, all grace as both a cyborg and a ninja forgotten, screaming for Jesse before he even registered his mouth was open to say anything at all.

“Jesse!” He desperately heaved portions of a fallen building up just long enough to check under them, dropping them or alternatively throwing them when the panic overwhelmed him. “ _Jesse_! Please! Jesse you _need to answer_ I need to know _where you are_!”

Spinning in a tight circle, the ninja searched for any trace of blood or a red serape or a hat or anything at all because he couldn’t lose another friend he just _couldn’t_ and Jesse was _so much more_ than just a friend he didn’t know how he’d-

 _There_.

A soft, pained keening sound from the narrow sideroad hidden by a row of towering plants.

“Jesse hold on!” He shouted as he dove between them and almost stepped on the wayward cowboy. He took only a second to assess the situation before darting into a neighboring yard and yanking down a sheet from a clothesline to provide a tourniquet.

“Jesse, stay with me. Do you know who I am?” How were sheets this fucking _hard to tie_ -?! Fuck it. He tore the sheet to shreds and used the pieces to perform his botchy first aide job.

“… _Genji_?” Jesse moaned, eyes blinking and attempting to focus. “Why’re you- _fuck_!” he choked off a scream as Genji tightened the makeshift bandages in a desperate attempt to staunch the bloodflow.

“Stay awake, Jesse, stay with me.” He ordered when he saw Jesse’s eyes begin to flicker shut, tying off the sheets and using his hands to instead frame the cowboy’s face. “I need to know why you decided to blow up the village. You would not have done it unless you had a good reason, so it must be an interesting story, no?” Genji prompted, lightly patting at Jesse’s face to gain his attention.

“Fuckin’….run…” Jesse panted, half open eyes staring behind Genji.

That was all the warning the ninja needed.

Pivoting on his heel, he brought up his hand to slam the barrel of the gun up into the air, making the attackers shot go awry. The woman swore and attempted to use her free hand to stab him, to which Genji disarmed her and twisted her arm behind her back, forcing her to drop her gun as well.

Still dazed by the explosion and her fight with McCree, the bitch wasn’t able to do much in retaliation except scream death threats and wriggle viciously in his grip.

“…nji?” Genji turned his head slightly to look at the almost unconscious man on the ground, raising his hand to knock the woman out before leaving her crumpled form in the dirt and returning to his friend’s side. “Genji. In th’….in th’ truck….kids…”

Genji’s head whipped around to find whatever Jesse was talking about and-there. He could see it in a small gap between the plants. A rather inconspicuous truck that was very out of place in a village like this.

“Human trafficking?” He was disgusted. It was a crime that not even his old Clan had partook in, making it a point to avoid relations with those who did, and to make art out of those who attempted it on their territory.

“Let ‘em…out. ‘M f’ne, jus’…jus’ a li’l dizzy.”

And with that, Genji’s cowboy fainted dead away, and so did any semblance of calm the ninja had managed to keep.

“Jesse? Jesse no, _no no no no no, wake up_!”

“Genji?” 

Zenyatta’s voice had always managed to embody peace and-in Genji’s case-protection. From one’s self, from one’s environment, he had never been able to differentiate. 

But at that moment Zenyatta’s voice was the most peaceful, beautiful, angelic voice the cyborg had ever heard.  
“Master! Jesse is severely injured and I think he has lost too much blood and that woman was a slaver and there are children in the truck and he is not _waking up_ -!”

“Peace, Genji. As of this moment, panic will not help anyone.”

Genji took a deep, shuddering breath, clenching his hands a little tighter around the bloodied stump of an arm. Calm. Calm. He needed to be calm. He needed to think. Jesse didn’t need someone lost in their fear, he needed someone with a cool head.

“Good. First, we much transport your friend to the Temple, so that he may receive proper medical attention; my Orbs can only do so much. The others will take care of the children, and wait for the authorities to arrive for your captive.”

Genji nodded, wasting no time picking the limp man up into his arms and taking off towards the Temple at a sprint. One of the monks was a Medic Specialist Omnic-they would help. They had to help. Jesse wasn’t allowed to die.

Time blurred into a mash of barely suppressed fear and anxiety permeated by the scent of Jesse’s blood and, eventually, the sound of Zenyatta’s voice chanting softly in his ear in a bid to calm him down.

It only started to come into focus again when the Medic carefully guided him into the infirmary and to the cot furthest from the door, next to a large open window, and left him beside an impossibly frail looking McCree.

Genji opened his mouth to say something-possibly Jesse’s name, maybe a plea to wake up-but all that came out was a slightly distorted keening sound as he took off his visor and reached forward to grab Jesse’s remaining hand. There was nothing he could say.

He could only keep watch.

And, apparently; cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made an AU I guess?
> 
> Jesse lost his arm in Nepal, so he got his prosthetic from the Nepalese monks (which is why it looks so different from Angela's design), and he and Genji and Zenyatta went to Overwatch together.
> 
> Well, they went to Hanamura first.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse wakes up.

Jesse was comfortable, his mind hazy. These were the first signs that something wasn’t right. The next sign that something wasn’t right was the hand that was holding his, and the fact that his other hand felt…wrong. Like it was numb, to the point that he couldn’t feel anything with it. His throat was a bit worse off, and he desperately wished it was numb instead of the burning dryness that seemed to pulse with every heartbeat.

“Jesse?”

No way.

There was no way.

“Jesse please, you have slept long enough.”

This wasn’t possible. He was drugged. Genji wasn’t-

“ _Itoshii, **onegai**_.”

McCree’s eyes snapped open.

“’Iiiiinshi?” Well that came out wrong, not that Genji seemed to mind if the soft happy cry was anything to go by. Jesse’s eyesight was still blurry, but he’d recognize that sound anywhere; it was one of his favorites.

The heartbroken sobbing that followed, however, was easily one on his most-hated list.

“Nnnnnahnahnah, _ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh_ …” Jesse tried to comfort the cyborg, squeezing the hand in his. But unable to say a whole lot and not very coherent yet, easily gave the worst consolation he had ever given.

It appeared to work, though, if the gross wet laughter was anything to go by.

“You may ‘hush’ yourself, cowboy. I have been sitting at your bedside for a week, and if I want to cry, I will cry!” The hand rubbing small circles on his palm and the other hand gently combing through his hair were contrary to the rough tone, and Jesse was so very confused.

“Hhhhuh?”

“A _week_ , Jesse.” Genji sighed, the laughter slipping from his voice and nonono that was supposed to stay- “Please do not do this again. I saw…” He broke off, a choked sob distorting his words until he was openly crying again, pressing Jesse’s hand to his bare face. “Your fucking _arm_ , Jesse, it…”

Genji sobbed so hard his words were stolen away, but it was okay. He’d said enough to kickstart McCree’s memory.

The slaver.

The kids.

The explosion.

 _His arm_.

Lifting his head as much as he could, Jesse looked at where his left arm had been and immediately wished he hadn’t. It looked wrong, cut off from above the elbow when he could clearly still feel it. It made him sick. He wanted to refuse what was right in front of him, wanted to pass out and sleep until he woke up and he had all his bits because this was clearly a bad dream-

“ _Gomenasai. Gomenasai, gomenasai, gomenasai…_ ”

Jesse let out a harsh breath. He could freak out later-his…almost something more than friend was breaking down in front of him. He needed to pull it together. Needed to distract his ninja.

His best bet was a cheesy joke.

When he opened his mouth to say it, however, all that came out was a garbled massacre of the English language that didn’t even come close to resembling an attempt at communication.

It sounded suspiciously like; "Arrrfglaphffffffpflhark."

Right. Water.

Genji jumped and hurriedly grabbed a small glass of water with a straw, helping the cowboy sit up and take small, tiny sips until he could talk without sounding like a wounded dog.

“Genji.” Jesse started, delicately gripping the hand that was holding him up, “Ginji, hey. It’s okay. Please stop cryin'.”

“It is not okay! Jesse McCree, your arm landed right in front of me!” Oh. Well, that…that must have been right awful, for the most inadequate description of the year.

Jesse sighed and leaned his head back, nosing at the wet, scarred cheek. Genji made a whining noise and turned to kiss Jesse’s forehead, lips lingering, and put down the cup to cradle his head.

Groaning, Jesse realized that Genji wasn’t going to stop being distraught unless he did something. Obviously, he had to make a really, horrendously bad, ill-timed joke.

“Genji,” The cowboy said decisively, shifting his body closer in an awkward attempt to offer comfort, “I’m _all right_.”

There was a pause as Genji’s body stiffened, slowly realizing what he had done. Jesse just grinned and drummed his fingers on Genji’s hand.

“ _Alllllllllll_ **_right_**.”

“ _Jesse_.”

“I guess ya could say all is _right_ with me.”

“Jesse _no_.”

“Too soon?”

Genji buried his face in Jesse’s hair, body shaking with horrified laughter. Jesse smiled, his mission was accomplished.

“Why are you like this?”

“Gotta keep that smile on yer face somehow, sweetheart.”

They stayed like that, Jesse seated in Genji’s lap-when had that happened?-and just cherishing the fact that each other was alive.

Genji had stopped laughing, but he wasn’t crying either. Mostly he was exhausted, the hand of the arm holding Jesse up stroking up and down his left side, lamenting the loss of a hand to hold.

“Forgive the intrusion,” Zenyatta said softly, floating into the room in an effort to reduce noise, “However, the technician in the village has agreed to work with Vasatta to create a desirable prosthetic, should Mr. McCree wish it.”

Jesse lifted his head to look at the newcomer and nodded in greeting, refusing to move from his spot.

“That’d be mighty fine, Sir.”

Zenyatta lightly placed a comforting hand on Genji’s shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze before leaving to convey McCree’s approval of the idea.

After he had left, Genji let out a shaky breath and tightened his grip on Jesse.

“Please do not ever scare me like that again,” He begged softly, closing his eyes and seeing Jesse’s arm again, “I could not bear it if I lost you.”

Jesse sighed, turning his head back up to Genji’s face and giving him a small kiss, ignoring the twinge that had been steadily getting worse in his arm…stump. It was a stump, and he had to get that into his head.

“I don’ wanna leave ya, darlin’,” Jesse whispered, looking Genji in the eye, “But if there’s another group a kids what need help-”

“Then take me with you. Or stay with me.” Genji interrupted, shaking his head, “Just do not go alone anymore.”

Jesse smiled again, looking at the peaceful infirmary he was in, the window that had a gorgeous view of the Nepalese mountains, the comfortable bed, _Genji_ …

“I think I can stay fer a bit.”

**Author's Note:**

> Made an AU I guess?
> 
> Jesse lost his arm in Nepal, so he got his prosthetic from the Nepalese monks (which is why it looks so different from Angela's design), and he and Genji and Zenyatta went to Overwatch together.
> 
> Well, they went to Hanamura first.
> 
> So technically Jesse, Genji, Zenyatta, and Hanzo all went to Overwatch together.


End file.
